Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-26
A SERIOUS FIRE
AT ST. CLAIRsVILLB, OHIO, EARLY YBsTBR-
DAY MORNING.
The City Saved from the Flames BY the Hard
Work Of Her 0itizsns-Ths Total Loss About
S18000-PptectOn Wanted.

At hslfpast five o'clock yesterday morn
ing the shrill whistle of the 3. & o. engine,
quickly followed by the always to be
dreaded cry of ''firew aroused the people
of st. Clairsville. 1t was near six o'clock
when the people in great number were
gathered at the scene of the confagration,
which at that time seemed to be confined
to the rear end of the buildings occupied
by the Belmont Chronicle newspaper and
the adjoining large frame building occu-
pied by B. Dickey as residence, James
Osborne's grocery, C. Riley's shoe shop
and by the families of Henry Thompson
and George Green.
The flames spread rapidly, and it was
only by the greatest efforts that the fire
was kept from extending westward to the
large brick building owned by the Misses
McGaw. Had this residence caught, the
fire could not have been checked for at
least an entire
SQUARE OF VALUABLE BUILDINGS.
In the meantime it was only by the
hardest work that-the row of buildings on
the north side OF the, street were kept from
burning, as they were all on fire sew
eral times, and on account of the intense
heat it was terrible work to get water on
them. They were all more or less dam
aged by the heat. Eastward the fire next
consumed the elegant comparatively new
frame building owned and occupied by
Henry Close and sisters. Next to this is
the large brick building known as the
Union House." which on the end next to
Closes house is owned by DR.. John f.
Vest, the center by James McMonies and
occupied by Auditor Barrett, and the east
end owned and occupied by Mrs. Jesse
Bewley. The furniture was removed from
all these houses, and of course was dam
aged.
On the roof of this house some bold vol
unteer firemen, among whom REGISTER
man recognized Henry B. Close, Isaac
Taggart, Clyde Darrah, James MCM0nies,
Frank Troll and others, made bold and
determined stand, and although it was
over half an hours hard battle, they won,
and the ERE WAS under control. The losses
and insurance are about as follows:
THE LOSSES.
w. A. Hunt, editor Chronicle, loss Sc, 900,
insurance 81 900 in American Fire, and
81, 900 in Columbiana Mutual In Mr..
Hunts safe are his subscription and ac-
count books, insurance policies and other
valuable papers. Not known if they are
destroyed.
Benz. Dickey, loss estimated at $4,000;
insurance, 81, coo on building, in German,
of Freeport, and 5000 on household goods,
in American Fire, of Philadelphia.
The Closes, loss estimated over $1,000;
insurance, 81, 900 in franklin and 81 900
in American, ON building, and $500 in
the latter on furniture. These are both
Wheeling companies.
James Osborne loss on stock Of groce-
ries, 81 500; insured for $500 in City In
surance Co, of Pittsburgh.
r. w. Emerson, Esq, had rooms in the
Close building; insured for 5000.
Joel Nichols, building occupied by the
Chronicle, lots s., 600; no insurance.
DR.. John f. West, building damaged
about 81, 900; insured for 81 500 in Column
biana.
Charles w. Riley, shoemaker, lost his
shop outfit almost entire; loss near 500.
All the household goods of Henry
Thompson were burned, the family barely
escaping with their lives and with scant
clothing. George Green also lost his
household goods.
NOTES.
The Chronicle will be issued next week
from the press OF the Fdzetfe.
st. Clairsville needs some protection from
fite, aud should have it at an early day.
Alex. Barrett was quite severely injured
on the leg by a bucket thrown from build
ing.
Louis Murdaugh, the miller, was struck
on the head by bucket, emitting an ugly
cash.
VIM. Castleman, colored, was arrested
and lodged in Jail in default Of $50 bail,
charged with stealing the boots Of Isaac
Taggart, who was on the West building.
In tearing down a porch between the
Close and West buildings, Pete" Taylor
went down with it, and seriously cut his
arm, an artery being severed. He lost con-
siderable blood.
There has been considerable talk US to
the origin of the fire, and from the drift of
it the two most plausible theories are
given: One is that the fire caught from the
stove in the Republican headquarters, over
the Chronicle Office, which room was occu.
pied the evening before in organizing Re-
publican club. Another theory ia that it
caught from a defective flue in the part of
the Dickey building next to the Chronicle
office, and into which George Green bad
just moved.